DONATION POLICY

 

Purpose & Values

 

Our community is grounded in the principles of sovereignty, consent, integrity, and right relationship. We believe that resources — financial, material, and energetic — are sacred and must be stewarded with clarity, humility, and collective discernment.

 

This policy exists to:

 

• Protect the autonomy and dignity of the community

• Maintain clean, transparent relationships

• Prevent unconscious power imbalances

• Ensure that all gifts truly serve the highest good of the whole

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Generosity is deeply valued here. So is right relationship.

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Our Philosophy on Giving

 

We hold that the most respectful form of support is one that preserves choice and agency for the recipient.

 

While gifts given with good intentions are appreciated, gifts that are unsolicited, prescriptive, or donor-directed can unintentionally:

 

• Override community discernment

• Create unspoken obligations or power dynamics

• Divert resources away from true priorities

• Place leadership in the position of managing someone else’s vision of what is needed

 

For this reason, we prioritize clean, unrestricted financial contributions over goods or purchases chosen by donors.

 

 

Preferred Form of Support

 

1. Unrestricted Financial Donations

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Our preferred and primary form of support is unrestricted financial donations, which allow leadership to:

 

• Respond to real, evolving needs

• Allocate resources with collective wisdom

• Maintain transparency and accountability

• Avoid waste, redundancy, or misalignment

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Unrestricted giving supports sovereignty — both for the giver and the community.

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In-Kind Gifts & Material Donations

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2. In-Kind Gifts Require Prior Approval

 

Physical items, equipment, food, infrastructure, or services may only be accepted if they are explicitly requested or pre-approved by leadership.

 

This includes (but is not limited to):

 

• Appliances or equipment

• Food or supplies

• Furniture or structures

• Technology or tools

• Sponsored purchases made “on behalf of” the community

 

Unsolicited in-kind gifts cannot be accepted.

 

Why:

Even well-intentioned items can create financial, logistical, energetic, or maintenance burdens that outweigh their benefit.

 

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Donor-Directed or Prescriptive Giving

 

3. We Do Not Accept Donor-Directed Purchases

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Gifts that dictate how funds must be used, or that involve donors independently deciding what the community “needs,” are not aligned with our stewardship values.

 

Examples include:

 

• Purchasing items without consultation

• Promising specific resources without leadership agreement

• Offering funds contingent on influence, visibility, or future outcomes

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All decisions regarding resource allocation rest with the community’s leadership and stewardship structures.

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Promises, Pledges & Future Funding

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4. No Reliance on Unconfirmed Promises

 

We do not plan, commit, or organize based on:

 

• Verbal promises of future funding

• Speculative donations

• Conditional or informal pledges

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Only funds that are received and cleared are considered available for use.

 

This protects the community from instability and unmet expectations.

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Energetic & Relational Integrity

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5. Gifts Must Be Free of Obligation

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All contributions must be given freely, without expectation of:

 

• Influence over decisions

• Special status or authority

• Access to leadership or community

• Gratitude beyond what arises naturally

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Gifts that create pressure, indebtedness, or discomfort — even unintentionally — are not considered aligned.

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Governance & Stewardship

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6. Leadership Stewardship Responsibility

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All gifts, donations, and resources are stewarded through established leadership and governance processes. This ensures:

 

• Accountability

• Ethical use of funds

• Alignment with mission and values

• Protection of the community as a whole

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Individual members are not authorized to accept gifts on behalf of the community without approval.

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Gratitude & Closing

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We deeply honor the spirit of generosity and care that motivates people to give. This policy is not about limiting generosity — it is about protecting the purity of relationship between giver and receiver.

 

When giving flows with consent, clarity, and trust, it strengthens community.

When it bypasses those principles, even unintentionally, it can cause harm.

 

We thank you for respecting these boundaries and for supporting the community in a way that honors shared sovereignty and right relationship.

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